Union, MaineFebruary 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 16, 1961, around 5:35 p.m. local time, an observer near Union, Maine, reported a ball of flame in the sky. The witness was a former Air Force pilot, listed with fair reliability. The location was on Maine Route 17, about one mile west of Union, and the light conditions were described as dusk.

The object had no smoke or trail. The observer compared its brightness to burning magnesium. It was seen only for a moment before going out of sight behind a barn, so its size could not be estimated. The object traveled low and on a flat path from east to west. The weather was clear.

The preparing officer noted that a local newspaper reported many sightings that night, with the object said to be visible from Portland to Belfast, Maine. The Air Force card states the description is characteristic of a fireball, apparently large and very high.

Reported location

Union, Maine

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

ME / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

| WR PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
; 4 ) Sn ’, " R
J 1. DATE : 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS |
i O Was Bolleon
| 16 Feb 61 Union, Maine 0 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION CR pon
: 9 RO isin XJ Ground- Visual O Ground-Rador a he fag AY oft
eoMT_162235%Z a Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
5. "PHOTOS - SOURC ODO Was Astronomicol Uereo |
a Yes ; B Probably Astronomical
X No Civilian DO Possibly Astronomical |
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE CAE Ra na
. ; O Insufficient Dete for Evaluation | -
0D Unknown
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Ball of flame with no |!) COMMENTS One witness reported seeing ; |
smoke or trail. Observer compared brillance objt. However, there were apparently
of objt to burning magnesium. Objt was observefiseveral witnesses in several parts of |
momentarily before going out of sight behind a] Maine, according to newspaper reports. |
: barn and observer could hot extimate size. Description of objt is characteristic
Objt was traveling low in a flat trajectory. of a fireball, and it was apparently
g large and very high.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
| | Sci Bie .
: hk Bs a db Lives " ;

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991455